WC (rapper)
William Loshawn Calhoun Jr. (born August 9, 1970), better known by his stage name WC (pronounced "Dub-C"), is an American rapper and actor. He originally was a rapper in the group Low Profile and later formed his group WC and the Maad Circle, who first succeeded with the single "Ain't A Damn Thang Changed". He was the originator of the C-walk. He later started a solo career and has released four solo albums. He is also well known for being a member of the rap supergroup Westside Connection with West Coast rappers Ice Cube and Mack 10.
WC | |
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![]() WC in August 2007 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | William Loshawn Calhoun Jr. |
Born | Houston, Texas, United States | February 3, 1970
Origin | Westmont, Los Angeles, California U.S |
Genres | |
Years active | 1987–present |
Labels |
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Associated acts | |
Website | www.dubconline.com |
Early life
William Loshawn Calhoun, Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on August 9, 1970.[1] He moved to South Central, Los Angeles as a child.
Music career
Early career
A longtime staple of the West Coast Music scene, WC began his career pairing with DJ Aladdin in the group Low Profile in 1987. The group released one album called We're in This Together in 1989. He later formed his group WC and the Maad Circle, which also included fellow rapper and mentor Big G, Coolio, producer Sir Jinx - Chilly Chill, and DJ Crazy Toones. He released two albums with his group, Ain't a Damn Thang Changed in 1991 and Curb Servin' in 1995.
Solo career
WC's solo debut, The Shadiest One, followed in 1998, landing in the pop Top 20 in its first week of release. "Better Days" and "Just Clownin'" were moderate R&B hits, and his second record, 2002's Ghetto Heisman, entered the pop charts as well. In 2007, he released his third solo album, Guilty by Affiliation on Lench Mob Records. Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and The Game all made an appearance on the album. He released his fourth solo album, Revenge of the Barracuda, on March 8, 2011. The album featured guests like Ice Cube, Young Maylay, Daz Dillinger, and Kokane. He is the older brother of DJ Crazy Toones.
Westside Connection
In 1996, WC formed Westside Connection with Ice Cube and Mack 10. The group's debut album, Bow Down, was released in 1996. The album reached the number 2 position on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum in 1996. "Bow Down", the single, reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group released their second album, Terrorist Threats, in 2003, featuring the lead single "Gangsta Nation", which was produced by Fredwreck and featured Nate Dogg. In 2005, the group disbanded
Discography
Studio albums
- The Shadiest One (1998)
- Ghetto Heisman (2002)
- Guilty by Affiliation (2007)
- Revenge of the Barracuda (2011)
Collaboration albums
- We're in This Together with Low Profile (1989)
- Ain't a Damn Thang Changed with WC and the Maad Circle (1991)
- Curb Servin' with WC and the Maad Circle (1995)
- Bow Down with Westside Connection (1996)
- Terrorist Threats with Westside Connection (2003)
- West Coast Gangsta Shit with Daz Dillinger (2013)
Filmography
- 1995: Friday
- 1996: Set It Off
- 1998: Da Game of Life
- 1999: The Breaks
- 1999: Thicker than Water
- 1999: Foolish
- 2001: Air Rage
- 2001: Stranded
- 2003: WC: Bandana Swangin – All That Glitters Ain't Gold
- 2003: Def Jam Vendetta
- 2004: Def Jam: Fight for NY
- 2008: Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club
- 2015: The Street
- 2017: Snowfall
Other information
His stage name, WC, is an abbreviation for his initials, not West Coast or his group Westside Connection, which are common misconceptions.
He served as a Los Angeles dialect coach for actor Damson Idris on the FX show Snowfall.[2]
References
- "WC biography". July 5, 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live (August 10, 2017). "Damson Idris Learned American Accent from Famous Rapper". YouTube. Retrieved September 9, 2019.